Training
Making Cables
Cables are used to connect LED modules to controllers. Making one of these cables is fairly easy. 18 AWG stranded wire is recommended for this purpose. Two-channel zones require four-pin connectors and four-conductor cables while three-channel zones require six-pin connectors and six-conductor cables. These cables have a male connector at one end and a female connector at the other so they can be daisy-chained. The male connector is the user of power and plugs into the controller which provides power to the chain. The female end of the cable provides power to the next element in the chain whether it be another cable or an LED Module.
Terminating an LED Module Cable with a ♂ Connector
| Cables made with the connectors shown in this tutorial are used for accessing power for either 2-channel White or 3-channel Color LED Modules. One of these male connectors plugs into a socket which provides power for a series of LED Modules. The other end of the cable must be terminated with a compatible female connector (See tutorial below). |
Terminating an LED Module Cable with a ♀ Connector
| Cables made with connectors shown in this tutorial are used for providing power to either 2-channel White or 3-channel Color LED Modules. The female connectors provide sockets for LED Modules to plug into. The other end of the cable can either be connected to the screw terminals of two or three dimmers or to one of the ports on a SkyLight Controller. In the latter case, the other end of the cable is terminated with a compatible male connector (See tutorial above). |
Architecture and Terminology
The Production
| All of the work that is involved in making a movie is called a “Production” in the film-making industry. The SkyLight Host Program can manage all of the lighting in your production. This video explains in some detail how your production is organized by the software. |
Lighting Resource Organization
| Skylight lighting systems are set up in a heirarchical way. This video discusses how the host interface software views its lighting resources. Up to 32 controllers can be mounted on one communications interface. Controllers divide their resources into Zones. Each Zone is then divided into Channels. Zones may be replicated in hardware in order to provide more driving power. |
Designing a Studio
| Skylight lighting systems are modular and can be used to create a wide variety of studio sets from flat small portable systems to perminant or semi-permanent stages. These can be curved or flat and can be continous with the floor and ceiling. |
Hardware Setup
Mounting Green Screen Backdrop Lighting
| This video explains how to mount the systems that light the chroma key backdrop in your studio. |
Mounting Main Stage Lighting
| The main stage area is what provides diffuse overhead or "Sky Light" to your live action. This video shows how to mount the LED modules for the main stage area. |
Mounting Direct Lighting
| This video explains how to mount the lights that simulate direct light in your shots. These usually simulate the sun for outdoor shots but they can be used to simlulate car headlights and other sources of direct light. |
Skylight Host Interface
| This video describes the hardware involved in hooking up a computer to a Sklight Control Chain. |
Operation
Skylight Host Software
| This video gives a general overview of how to operate a Skylight Studio using the Skylight Host Software. |
Doing a Shoot
| This video describes the process of doing a shoot using a Skylight Lighting System. |